GLOBAL – Mars Food & Nutrition has announced a US$20 million investment over the next decade to strengthen sustainable rice sourcing, as climate pressures increasingly threaten one of the world’s most important staple crops.
The company, which owns brands including Ben’s Original, Tasty Bite and Seeds of Change, said the funding will support rice farmers across key sourcing regions while helping to future-proof its global supply chain.
The investment will be delivered through Mars’ newly launched Raising Rice Right platform. The initiative is designed to accelerate the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices among rice farmers in the United States, Europe, India, Pakistan and Thailand.
These regions represent a significant share of Mars’ rice-sourcing footprint and are increasingly exposed to water stress, erratic rainfall, and temperature extremes linked to climate change.
Central to the programme is the promotion of practices such as alternate wetting and drying (AWD), a water management technique that allows rice paddies to dry intermittently rather than remain continuously flooded.
According to Mars, AWD can reduce water use by up to 30% and cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40%, while maintaining yields.
Methane emissions from flooded rice fields are a major contributor to agricultural-related greenhouse gas emissions, making rice a priority crop for climate mitigation efforts.
“Rice is a daily staple for billions of people and provides an income to millions of farmers around the world, but climate change is placing extraordinary pressure on this vital crop,” said Dale Creaser, global VP of supply chain at Mars Food & Nutrition.
He added that the US$20 million investment is about backing our farmers with the tools, technology and training support they need to adapt and thrive in a changing environment.
The announcement comes as international bodies such as the IPCC and FAO continue to warn of mounting risks to global rice production.
Under current climate trajectories, global rice yields could decline by 10–15% by 2050, driven by rising temperatures, water scarcity and more frequent climate shocks.
For food manufacturers and millers, these pressures translate into higher supply volatility and increased input risk.
In consumer markets such as the UK, where 63% of people eat rice at least once a week and annual consumption reaches an estimated 2.3 billion bowls, supply resilience has become a strategic concern.
Through the Raising Rice Right platform, Mars plans to scale climate-smart practices, expand farmer training programmes and strengthen long-term resilience at farm level.
The company will also continue its role as a founding member of the Sustainable Rice Platform, a multi-stakeholder alliance that sets standards and benchmarks for sustainable rice cultivation globally.
“As the owners of Ben’s Original, one of the world’s largest rice brands, we have a responsibility to act,” Creaser said.
Creaser added that this investment is about future-proofing our business to ensure the company builds a resilient food supply chain and protects yields and livelihoods for farmers today and for generations to come.
Additionally, the commitment sits within Mars’ wider Sustainable in a Generation plan, which includes science-based targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 50% by 2030 and to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
© Copyright 2025 The SSResource Media.
All rights reserved.